Unique perspective and approach to the classical style of retro-walkie shooter. The gameplay comes down to your reaction skill run and slash - so prepare to die a lot... A LOT! :)
Before you start playing though - one suggestion - accept that you are a masochist! :)) But really, my initial reaction to this Rogue one-shot-equals-death game was abysmal - i hated the game in the firstUnique perspective and approach to the classical style of retro-walkie shooter. The gameplay comes down to your reaction skill run and slash - so prepare to die a lot... A LOT! :)
Before you start playing though - one suggestion - accept that you are a masochist! :)) But really, my initial reaction to this Rogue one-shot-equals-death game was abysmal - i hated the game in the first hour. But you know what, i gave it another try (in several months, i'll be honest) and this game is pretty good and very fun!
Spelunky is better though! :)…Expand

Addictive, bloody and fast-paced action. Cool retro design. A clever and engaging story. And a great soundtrack on top of it all. An awesome gaming experience that doesn't require a top-notch PC to play it. My only complaint is that it felt a bit short.

Sometimes some guy just start doing stupid things, like chopping people's arms, whack another guy's head with a baseball bat, or spreading every bullet and redecorating the whole restaurant with blood. Sometimes that guy is not you, because you're busy playing Hotline Miami. The thing is, what in that game is just equally violent.

It is both a mix of frustration, as well as fun. The soundtrack is the main reason that I got into this game, with its 80s like mix of techno is amazing. The story is awesome, with its brutal history and its dark and depressing tone. The point system and masks are unique, and it almost seems like Smash TV, but a much more enjoyable and deep experience than Smash TV could be.

The over-the-top violence in Hotline Miami might turn those of you away who don't like violent games but if you're able to stomach it, you'll notice there's actually more to the game than meets the eye thanks to its stealth/puzzle elements. You'll need a combination of wits and lightning reflexes, and you'll often find yourself cursing at how frustrating the game is at times, but withThe over-the-top violence in Hotline Miami might turn those of you away who don't like violent games but if you're able to stomach it, you'll notice there's actually more to the game than meets the eye thanks to its stealth/puzzle elements. You'll need a combination of wits and lightning reflexes, and you'll often find yourself cursing at how frustrating the game is at times, but with great difficulty comes a great sense of achievement when completing the levels. Combine these qualities with an awesome soundtrack inspired by music from the 80s and 90s and you'll want to keep playing this game to the end.…Expand

Hotline Miami is one of the most fun games that I have ever played. I can say that this game is worth buying at full price. The soundtrack is Amazing, the game is really hard and it's just great fun to run around and kill people.
9/10

Pros:
-Simple and challenging gameplay
-The challenge isn't frustrating as much as it is motivating
-Good soundtrack
-Lot of sprite on sprite violence.
Cons:
-Gameplay is rather repetitive
-Story kind of fizzles out and the end is just thrown in last minute.
-7 hours long...or less if youre better at video games than me
Conclusion: While gameplay is repetitive it never reallyPros:
-Simple and challenging gameplay
-The challenge isn't frustrating as much as it is motivating
-Good soundtrack
-Lot of sprite on sprite violence.

Cons:
-Gameplay is rather repetitive
-Story kind of fizzles out and the end is just thrown in last minute.
-7 hours long...or less if youre better at video games than me
Conclusion: While gameplay is repetitive it never really feels repetitive. The challenge always keeps it interesting even though you're basically doing the same thing (killing everybody in the room) every level. If you enjoy older style of games like asteroid, pacman, and space invaders where it's the same thing every level but just on a different map or with slight tweaks then you'll love this. For some reason it reminds me of the movie "Drive" with Ryan Gosling.…Expand

Its simple and fun and definitely on my list for Indie game of the year. It just feels like an 80's exploitation film, and reminds me of a lot of crime films from the time. Its easy to get addicted in its clever gameplay and you'll never get tired of cracking a dude over the head with a baseball bat, or finding other gruesome ways to kill your opponents.

Awesome Indie game!
I loved the theme and story of this game, they were really well done. They could not have done any better at creating an old school/retro feel to the game.
The gameplay/combat is basically "trial and error." It can be challenging at first, because it is extremely unique, but it grows on you.
This has become my go-to game when I don't have a lot of time but need to beAwesome Indie game!
I loved the theme and story of this game, they were really well done. They could not have done any better at creating an old school/retro feel to the game.
The gameplay/combat is basically "trial and error." It can be challenging at first, because it is extremely unique, but it grows on you.
This has become my go-to game when I don't have a lot of time but need to be violent for a few minutes.
I want so badly to give this game a 10/10. But at a base price of 10 bucks, I have to chop a point off for lack of content vs. price.…Expand

Hotline Miami has to be one of the most addictive games that is under $20 dollars. If you get hit or get shot at, you will die. Once dead you have restart the level or checkpoint and its really stressful if you do. And thats what I truly like about this game. Even though its a great game, I'm sadly not one of those gamers that can read non-speakable text boxes so I normally skip all ofHotline Miami has to be one of the most addictive games that is under $20 dollars. If you get hit or get shot at, you will die. Once dead you have restart the level or checkpoint and its really stressful if you do. And thats what I truly like about this game. Even though its a great game, I'm sadly not one of those gamers that can read non-speakable text boxes so I normally skip all of that.

Don't underestimate Hotline Miami. It might be a cheap game but its highly addictive and you wont stop playing it.…Expand

Mad game, I love it. The animals masks, bloody idea. The characters are psychos. The dialogues at the start: "I'm here to show you how to kill people". I recommend this game. It feels dangerous and It's completely insane.

Hotline Miami is a brutal top-down shooter where you're instructed to kill a whole bunch of people and you really don't know why. The game is incredibly unsettling, between the genocide, the creepy music, the graphics that look like a terrible VHS recording, the terrible sense of increasing loneliness and desperation, and the sense that maybe all of it isn't real, even by the game'sHotline Miami is a brutal top-down shooter where you're instructed to kill a whole bunch of people and you really don't know why. The game is incredibly unsettling, between the genocide, the creepy music, the graphics that look like a terrible VHS recording, the terrible sense of increasing loneliness and desperation, and the sense that maybe all of it isn't real, even by the game's standards.

The gameplay is tough. The action is frantic, since one shot kills you and enemies move quickly, yet requires a lot of planning as you decide how to take on heavily-guarded buildings. The harder battles are ridiculously difficult. The sound is creepy and very fitting. The graphics are simple 2D, but the aesthetic is also unsettling. The controls are tough to get used to, but ultimately work most of the time. The story's somewhat minimal, but the story that is there is very interesting.

I think this game is worth the $10 purchase, and if this looks interesting to you, I don't think you'll be disappointed. If you enjoy it, there's a lot of replayability here too. Definitely get it if it's on sale. The soundtrack is very good, but it's not exactly feel-good music. Either way, consider picking up the soundtrack too.…Expand

Prepare to die your way to success! Hotline Miami is hard and brilliant! It's bloody and it's very fast. Entire levels will be over in seconds and minutes. It's retro and its got style. The story is weird at best and the characters are very "lets kill them all and not ask any questions". So much so, even the final person you kill seemed to know the guy who will kill him ain't interested inPrepare to die your way to success! Hotline Miami is hard and brilliant! It's bloody and it's very fast. Entire levels will be over in seconds and minutes. It's retro and its got style. The story is weird at best and the characters are very "lets kill them all and not ask any questions". So much so, even the final person you kill seemed to know the guy who will kill him ain't interested in any drama whatsoever. I like it. Think of all the films and games who would have had a much better, albeit darker ending, if characters killed more and talked less with style.…Expand

When asked what it is I enjoy most about a game, the best I can come up with is "the experience", as vague as that is. Whatever I mean by that, Hotline Miami captures it in every way. With the sickly bright visuals, the unflinching and brutal violence, the hypnotizing soundtrack, and the surreal plot, it sets itself apart as one of the most distinct experiences in indie gaming. It'sWhen asked what it is I enjoy most about a game, the best I can come up with is "the experience", as vague as that is. Whatever I mean by that, Hotline Miami captures it in every way. With the sickly bright visuals, the unflinching and brutal violence, the hypnotizing soundtrack, and the surreal plot, it sets itself apart as one of the most distinct experiences in indie gaming. It's comparable to drugs, getting under your skin and becoming a game you play by feel more than sight. You'll get into a flow and completely lose yourself in the violence, only for the last enemy to die. Then the music cuts abruptly, a dull buzzing plays, and you slowly walk back to your car through the trail of maimed bodies.

Everything moves so fast, you don't even have time to think, you just have to react instinctively. The feel of the action very much compliments what's going on in the protagonist's head. No time to stop and think, only to act, and react, as fast as possible, no matter the consequences. The best games don't just have you play as a character, they make you feel like you *are* the character, and the gradually deteriorating mental state of a brutal killer wouldn't look like anything else than what you see in this game. The violence, intensity, and difficulty aren't going to be for everyone, but this is among my most loved of indie titles on the market.…Expand

This game is great! It reminds me of the old bird's eye view 'Grand Theft Auto' games from the 90's but without the vehicles or parades full of people to run over. The gameplay here is quick and addictive and your thirst for blood will be at an all time high while dodging bullets and trying on fancy new animal masks. The soundtrack is one of the best that I've heard in a while, and playingThis game is great! It reminds me of the old bird's eye view 'Grand Theft Auto' games from the 90's but without the vehicles or parades full of people to run over. The gameplay here is quick and addictive and your thirst for blood will be at an all time high while dodging bullets and trying on fancy new animal masks. The soundtrack is one of the best that I've heard in a while, and playing with a controller is a breeze once you get the hang of it. I'm not exactly sure what's going on in the game or what the story is about because it's a complete mind-fudge, but it's entertaining to say the least. Overall 'Hotline Miami' feels like a bad acid trip, but a fun one at that. It's definitely worth picking up even though it can be beaten in five or six hours. Now go! Now! And start your animal mask collection immediately!…Expand

This has got to be one of the best games I have played in quite a while. There are many games that offer great gameplay but the stories are usually the very simple, easy to understand nonsense that is also present in all blockbuster movies. And with Hotline Miami, one doesn't just get a pathetic, half-assed attempt at something more complex and meaningful but actually a complete one. ForThis has got to be one of the best games I have played in quite a while. There are many games that offer great gameplay but the stories are usually the very simple, easy to understand nonsense that is also present in all blockbuster movies. And with Hotline Miami, one doesn't just get a pathetic, half-assed attempt at something more complex and meaningful but actually a complete one. For the movie lovers: think Inception vs. Memento.
As for the awesome music and art style and everything else... that's covered in so many reviews already...
There are only two minor gripes I have with the game: Enemies often can't be hit when they stand very close to you (although that may be because one's weapon reaches through them.... there usually isn't enough time to analyze this...). And there are no online leaderboards. Which is really a damn shame for a game with a score system as this one. Then again... making people hunt high scores just for the fun of it may not even be what the developers had in mind?…Expand

This thing hit all the right spots. It's retro and it's new, it's challenging and it's fun, it's serious and it's not, it's linear and it's subversive, it's atmospheric to the point of mysticism and it's actually crude reality. All the elements of the game from the graphics to the music to the plot to the gameplay mix together so well it's, pardon the pun, criminal. Plus, for an indie 2dThis thing hit all the right spots. It's retro and it's new, it's challenging and it's fun, it's serious and it's not, it's linear and it's subversive, it's atmospheric to the point of mysticism and it's actually crude reality. All the elements of the game from the graphics to the music to the plot to the gameplay mix together so well it's, pardon the pun, criminal. Plus, for an indie 2d game this has some shockingly realistic combat mechanics! Think about it: this is exactly what would happen if you burst into a building full of mafia thugs.

With a really good story and a dark environment, Hotline Miami is a very fast pace, top down shooter. With old school 16-bit graphics it looks awesome, the music is very unique and different for each level. There is not much I can say about this game because there are so many spoilers so I will leave you with some advice, PLAY THIS GAME!!!!!!!!

Hotline Miami is one of the two only games in the world that I consider 'perfect'. The gameplay is perfect, satisfying and unbelievably fun. The visual are great, and while they aren't your general high-polygon AAA graphics, the art style they went for is truly the best they could have chosen in my opinion.

I love this game. Hotline Miami 2 needs to hurry up and come out, but don't rushHotline Miami is one of the two only games in the world that I consider 'perfect'. The gameplay is perfect, satisfying and unbelievably fun. The visual are great, and while they aren't your general high-polygon AAA graphics, the art style they went for is truly the best they could have chosen in my opinion.

I love this game. Hotline Miami 2 needs to hurry up and come out, but don't rush it. My wallet is waiting, Dennaton.…Expand

This game is just fun. I don't dig this retro craze as much as most people, but don't get me wrong, this game is bags of fun. Killing people in stylish combo-ey manners hasn't been this frustrating, challenging but just so much adrenaline this game makes you feel like you're on a roller coaster ride. This music just adds so much flavour into this game. I cannot give it anymore highThis game is just fun. I don't dig this retro craze as much as most people, but don't get me wrong, this game is bags of fun. Killing people in stylish combo-ey manners hasn't been this frustrating, challenging but just so much adrenaline this game makes you feel like you're on a roller coaster ride. This music just adds so much flavour into this game. I cannot give it anymore high praise. Fun and not to mention reasonably priced…Expand

THIS GAME IS AWESOME. And I do not say that at all the time. If you check out my reviews, you'll see that I hardly give a game a ten. But Hotline Miami deserves it. Awesome atmosphere, nice visuals, and a superb soundtrack. The gameplay is really addictive, even though it's a little frustrating -but that is the whole point of it. And the story is amazing. I never thought that a indie gameTHIS GAME IS AWESOME. And I do not say that at all the time. If you check out my reviews, you'll see that I hardly give a game a ten. But Hotline Miami deserves it. Awesome atmosphere, nice visuals, and a superb soundtrack. The gameplay is really addictive, even though it's a little frustrating -but that is the whole point of it. And the story is amazing. I never thought that a indie game could have such a strong story, told by the little details and little hints by the dialogue. This game is pure gold, and is the best indie that I played to this day -PERIOD. And it is really cheap, so there's little to no excuses to not try it out.…Expand

This game is the most brutal addictive game I've played this year. The storyline is good and fun but the best part is the soundtrack as it ads to Hotline Miami's feel. You play as jacket as he gets messages through his answering machine you fallow his brutal violent lifestyle. You kill by knocking them down with your fists though you can get guns and alot of melee weapons to smash your wayThis game is the most brutal addictive game I've played this year. The storyline is good and fun but the best part is the soundtrack as it ads to Hotline Miami's feel. You play as jacket as he gets messages through his answering machine you fallow his brutal violent lifestyle. You kill by knocking them down with your fists though you can get guns and alot of melee weapons to smash your way through this version of Miami. Plus you can now use your Xbox controller.…Collapse

From the get-go, Miami’s presentation has a unique style, with vivid colors, generous amounts of post-process filtering and a stunning soundtrack (you will just let the game play on, only to hear the tracks). But at the same time, all notions of continuous fast-paced action gameplay disappear. Hotline Miami is essentially a top-down stealth game, that rewards the player with imaginative (and quite violent) kill animations. [January 2013]

Games Master UK

Dec 18, 2012

88

A stylish slice of retro carnage. This is the bloodiest, least forgiving game of the year. [Jan 2013, p.85]

Hyper Magazine

Dec 17, 2012

90

A drug-induced coma of violence, strategy, death and rebirth. [Jan 2013, p.67]